


That Unwanted Animal // Interactive AU

by AmI_Dreaming



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Reality, Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Child Abuse, DadSchlatt, Dystopia, Emotional Manipulation, Government Experimentation, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Interactive, Interactive Fiction, M/M, Monsters, Multi, Mystery, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reader-Interactive, Science Experiments, Social Media, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:33:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28769373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmI_Dreaming/pseuds/AmI_Dreaming
Summary: Where every child when they turn 4 years old gets taken away by the government. They return to their parents when they turn 14. Most kids don’t remember anything, however, Tommy does. And this is not his father. And these are not his brothers.
Relationships: Antfrost/VelvetIsCake (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Jschlatt & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Niki | Nihachu & Ranboo, Niki | Nihachu & Wilbur Soot, Sapnap & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, Zak Ahmed/Darryl Noveschosch
Comments: 12
Kudos: 140





	1. Chapter 1.

**Author's Note:**

> For everything in one handy-dandy place, here's a summary of all the links to follow and participate in this story:  
> Google Drive: [Google Link](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1psyFaFc3594wcaHiNhj2qJJCGzyzjCf6vREyAMvYM04/edit?usp=sharing)  
> Twitter: [Twitter Link](https://twitter.com/MCYT_AUs)  
> Tumblr: [Tumblr Link](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/therebellionarewe)  
> Privatter [Privatter Link/a>](https://privatter.net/u/MCYT_AUs)

Is this seriously not a dream?, Tommy asked himself when he woke up in a strange room. This wasn’t the lab, right? What day was it? Was this another experiment? Tommy blinked, hearing rustling outside the room. His stomach twisted when the door handle got pulled down and against his will, his hands tightened their grip around the bedsheets. To his big surprise, it wasn’t one of the scientists who had just opened the door. It was a middle-aged man, blond hair and wearing a bucket hat. He had a welcoming smile on his face.

“Good morning Tommy, are you ready for breakfast?” Tommy could not believe the words that he had just heard. Breakfast? When was the last time he had breakfast? Tommy couldn’t remember anymore… All the days, the ten years even, that he had been stuck there felt like just one very -and then he means very- long day. “Oh, and happy birthday by the way. Downstairs are the presents waiting for you!” Birthday? Had it seriously been ten years already? Was Tommy seriously free from the laboratory? If so, then why did he still remember everything? The man closed the door again, leaving Tommy alone in his confusion.

Tommy sat up straight and looked around the room. The walls were painted white with one accent wall that was a dark blue. There were pictures on the desk and Tommy raised his eyebrow, getting up to take a closer look. The floor was heated, a big difference than the cold, stone floor back at the lab. There was even a fluffy rug in the middle of the room that Tommy may have stood on for longer than was necessary, enjoying the soft fabric tickling his bare feet.

Focus, Tommy. The pictures. There was a total of four pictures on the desk, all framed and there was not a single speck of dust on any of them. Two of them were baby pictures of Tommy, one of them was Tommy when he was three-year-old, at the sea, holding a small red fishing net. He was smiling widely, his blonde hair covering his half-crescent moon eyes. The last one was a family picture: the man who had just come in to wake up Tommy was holding him, and there were two other boys. One had shoulder-length curly brown hair and he was wearing a sweater way too big for him. The other boy was shorter in length but had also shorter brown hair, he wore a pair of square glasses that were slightly askew, balancing on the bridge of his nose. Tommy frowned. He did not know these people… He had a mother and a father… And he had an older sister? What happened to his family? Who were these people? Why did he not know them? Why did he remember -everything- from the lab? Before Tommy his head crashed from the number of questions that were racing through it, he decided to go downstairs first, observe the people in his so-called “family” and figure out what was really going on here.

“Good morning,” Tommy said as he sat down at what-probably-was the dinner-table. All three guys were sitting at it. The blonde male, who assumed Tommy was his supposed father, was sitting at the head of the table. He was reading the newspaper and Tommy could read the headlines on the back of it. Same boring stuff. ‘

 **Government in forces new law!  
** _Fictional books are now banned! Anyone who now buys owns, sells, or transports one of these books can now be arrested for being in possession of a banned object._

On the left side of the table, a boy with pastel pink hair was sitting. He had glasses, but instead of the square ones like the boy was wearing in the picture, these were bigger and rounder… More stylish, Tommy found. His hair was tied in a pony-tail that was lazily hanging over his left shoulder. Tommy wondered if it was allowed to walk around like that since most things that made you stand out also had some heavy consequences. It was rule number one in the lab, at least. They were trained to be the same, look the same, sounds the same… Tommy wondered where these children were now and if they were the same people with the same non-personality.

On the right side was the other boy sitting. His hair was shorter now, but still curly. Or at least, the few strands that were poking from under his beany were curled. He was still wearing oversized sweaters.

“Good morning Toms! Are you ready for your presents?” Tommy nodded a little, not knowing what to expect from here on. “There aren’t much, because the presents we got were pretty expensive… Whatever, I hope you enjoy it.” Curly-haired boy was rambling a little as he grabbed the bunch of presents that were already waiting for him on the counter. He was right. There weren’t much. 3 presents. On one of them were written from Phil, Techno and Wilbur. On one was just written Techno. And on the other one was written from Wilbur, for Tommy. Tommy decided to unpack the ones from everyone first.

“A phone?” The disbelief was clearly hearable in Tommy’s voice. He had ripped the decorative paper of the box, revealing a brand new phone. A real phone. “What the- Seriously?” The blond male smiled so widely that his teeth were showing.

“Of course Tommy! It’s essential, isn’t it?” But this phone wasn’t just a phone. This was a real phone, not one of those “approved” ones. A real phone meant you had so much power that you were able to own a device where you had a lot more access to information that the government wants you to have. Or, you are allowed to have one because you also work with the government, or you are doing something illegal… And Tommy thought that it was the first one, not expecting these people to do something against the government’s will. They all looked so… perfect.

“Open mine next!,” the curly-haired boy said excitedly, pushing the present towards Tommy. It was the one from Wilbur, he could read. Noted, curly-haired boy his name is Wilbur. Tommy opened the present and what was revealed were CDs… CDs from rock and indie bands, things Tommy had never heard of. They looked expensive and Tommy wondered how Wilbur got his hands on these things, knowing how rare they were. He truly wondered in what kind of family he had gotten placed and if they were just immensely rich and very close with someone who works for the government, or if they are something else.

The last present was from Techno and judging by how the guy with glasses had looked when he opened the present, Tommy knew that his other brother was named Techno. Tommy finally saw what was inside the biggest present of the three: a laptop. It was a bit used, but a laptop non the less. Tommy had never held one of those in real life! He had a phone back in the lab, but never a real laptop. He had seen the nurses and scientists walking around with them, working on them and being some of the most powerful people ever… Now Tommy had one himself.

“It’s my old one… But you can still do a lot with it. You can even run some games on it. It’s pretty good.”

“Damn… Thank you so much… I really didn’t expect this.”

“Of course Tommy, all for our favourite youngest family member.”

Apparently, it was Saturday and while everyone was doing whatever they wanted, Tommy sat in his room, alone and debating if this was or a test or if he really did turn fourteen and was now freed from the government’s cruel tests and experiments… Tommy sighed and scrolled through his brand-new phone, looking through the apps to find a very special, very useful one.

And he had found it. Twitter: an app used to communicate between the other children in the lab, made by a boy who was also stuck there. Tommy didn’t know him personally, since he had been already send home for a long time now since Tommy got there, but he had talked to him through the app. His username had been GeorgeNotFound, so Tommy had always just called George. In the last couple months that Tommy was there, his phone got taken away by one of the guards, so Tommy hadn’t kept up with the app and he wondered if he still had access to his own account and if it still worked even when outside of the labs.

Username: TommyInnit  
Password: *************  
Log in succeeded!

It appeared that Tommy’s account actually still worked! And everything still looked the same as it did when he used it on his other device. He could see the messages other people had posted on the public community board; the timeline. It wasn’t in great use though… There had never been that many people on the app, George wanted to keep it very secret. If anyone found out about this, they would be all dead. Literally.

**@Tubbo_ 15:23 04/09**  
[see what @tubbo_ posted](https://twitter.com/MCYT_AUs/status/1353658982150320128?s=20)

“He’s upstairs.” Techno’s monotone voice appeared out of what seemed to be nowhere for Wilbur -in reality, however, Wilbur just hadn’t noticed the door that had been opened and his younger brother who was now standing the door opening- “He’s been upstairs all day now… You think he knows?” Wilbur shrugged, his hair bouncing along with the movement of his body.

“Don’t know and don’t care, we’ve got bigger things to focus on right now.” Techno scoffed at the comment, making Wilbur roll his eyes back into their caskets. “Shut up and do your work. What are you doing here anyway?”

“I came here because I wanted to ask you about Tommy… Do you think that he knows?” With his index finger, Techno traced imaginative patterns on the door-post. Following non-existence lines and making small figurines while he waited for an answer that never came. Instead, there fell a silence: dead air making the room feel more chilly than it was. Techno sniffed before he spoke up again. “Do you think we should tell him someday?”

“If he doesn’t know, there’s no point in telling.” Wilbur always had his way of sounding like he didn’t care, while in fact, he cared a lot. He probably cared even more than Techno himself.

“If you say so.”

Wilbur listened to the footsteps that were slowly fading away as they got further away from him. The coldness of his room swallowed him whole again, loneliness drowning his body in a thick layer of air that made it hard for him to breath. Wilbur really had to go out again. Maybe seeing some people other than his family. It would do him good, he thought.

But as the thoughts were clouding his mind, all his ideas got burned down by a message popping up in the right lower corner of his screen… Wilbur sighed deeply: this was going to be a long day.

**Sapnap has posted a message  
** [Click here to see what Sapnap posted](https://therebellionarewe.tumblr.com/post/641279193552912384/new-law-we-shouldnt-tolerate-this)

When Phil walked into Tommy’s room to tell him that they were going to gather together to eat dinner, Tommy was laying on his bed with his phone in his hands. He had made himself comfortable, letting the blankets drape loosely over him as he scrolled through the small device that was reposing on the palm of his hand. Phil knocked on the already opened door to get the attention from the teen.

“Dinner time. You coming?”

“Yeah… Sure…” Tommy quickly did something on the phone before throwing it on the bed and walking behind Phil. Down the stairs, alongside Wilbur and Phil their bedrooms that were attached to the small hallway. He skipped the last stair, jumping down and “gracefully” landing on both of his feet. It had been a habit that Tubbo had learned him. “If you skip the last stair,” he would say, “The doctors will give you less punishment because it’s determined on how often they could hear your footsteps on the stairs.” It went from only skipping the last stair, to skipping every other one and when Tommy grew taller, he could almost go up the stairs, only using two steps…

Whenever Tommy thought back about his time in the labs, he felt a weird feeling in his stomach. Nostalgic, almost? It was tingly and made his whole body shiver and make him feel empty, yearning for a childhood he could have had…

Tommy sat down at the table, hands folded in his lap as he observed his older brothers who made the table for him. Utensils made clinging sounds as they hit the wood of the table: it rang through his ears, sending a hurtful shock through his head that made Tommy pinch his eyes shut. For one second, everything seemed to become too much. Light came through his closed eyelids so blazingly that it felt like he was looking at a completely white computer screen turned to full intensity. The sounds that were first so far away, like whispered caressing his body, were now screaming. It was loud, shrill and skirl.

For a second, it felt like Tommy couldn’t breathe anymore. Every little sensation he could possibly feel, he felt with every part of his body. His fingers could feel the warm air, his cheeks could feel the heat radiating from the electrical heating, his feet could feel the fabric of his socks. He could sense a single drop of sweat rolling down his back. He could feel his lips, pressing together. His eyes, he could feel every wrinkle on his eyelid. He felt-

Nothing. As fast as the overload of information came, as fast as it disappeared again. Tommy opened his eyes again, nothing seemed to have changed. He was still in his home, in the kitchen with his so-called family. They were still making the table, Techno busy pouring water in four glasses so Wilbur could put them on the table. Tommy’s ears were still throbbing. And as the world around him still saw fuzzy and disproportionate, he could hear someone call for him, so quiet that it was softer than a murmur.

_“Don’t trust them…. Never. Trust. Anyone.”_


	2. Chapter 2.

Awake, that was what Tommy was. While the whole neighbourhood was sleeping, Tommy was still awake, the blue light of his phone illuminating the darkness surrounding him. His eyes were burning, a painful sensation making it feel like his eyes were the Sahara desert. He had to go to bed, Tommy thought to himself. There was no point in staying awake when everyone else was also asleep. Tommy refreshed the page one last time before accepting that he was outmost alone and he put his phone on the bedside table, trying to fall asleep.

Outside of the room, the light jumped on. Footsteps were heard on the creaky stairs. Someone was sneaking to the downstairs part of the house, and Tommy -the oh-ever-so curious and still awake child- wanted to know who it was. As followed, he peeked through the small opening in his door that was slightly ajar. He saw a completely black figure, as tall as the ceiling walking over the hallway. Tommy’s breath hitched, he stumbled backwards until his back was secured against a wall. That wasn’t a human, Tommy could feel it in his body. A heavy feeling, like there, was a ton of water on top of his chest. A dark feeling, like he was in a forest in the middle of the night as the moon and the stars have left the sky. An uneasy feeling…. Tommy crawled back into bed, grabbing his phone and sending a message.

 **@TommyInnit 15:23** **04/09  
**[I just saw something... (linkt to tweet)](https://twitter.com/MCYT_AUs/status/1357037798612729866?s=20)

Okay Tommy, try to breathe. Try to breathe… Try to stay calm. It’ll be okay. Words Tommy kept repeating to himself, went lost in the thin air. Tommy was trying to hard to grasp himself together using some easily breakable thread. But whatever he had, it was better than nothing. So he kept whispering the sweet little lies until there was no one to comfort anymore and it felt like his soul has left his body.

Sapnap groaned tiredly while with his hands in his hair. He was normally good at hacking, but this site was so hard to get into. He needed help, but everyone was busy doing their things. He could message Ant or Velvet, but he was sure that those two were sleeping right now. Maybe someone from the sleepy family? No, these were going on their mission. 

Letting out sounds of misery, Sapnap gave up. He smacked his laptop close. Sapnap walked through his room, looking out of the window. The sky was a dark blue and the moon was almost at it’s fullest shape. 

Someday, Sapnap thought, someday I’ll save this country. But that day is not today.

They weren’t allowed to be out this late, so they had to be very careful that they wouldn’t get caught. Red glow from the cameras were the only things that were giving light at this time. They had to make sure they weren’t going to be visible on any cameras, so they let Wilbur go first, sabotaging the cameras by using his other identity as a gift, rather than a curse. 

They manoeuvred through an obstacle of cameras and sensors that could easily ruin their whole plan and make everything ten times harder than it was supposed to be. Finally, they reached a safe point: under an underpass, there were no devices that could blow their cover and no easy way where others could see them. It was apparently more-known that this spot was a good hiding place, shown by the amount of graffiti on the sides.

“Can’t believe we’re actually going to do this,” Wilbur said breathlessly. He was holding flyers that they were going to put through the whole city, planning on getting more people to join their side. Techno didn’t respond, instead, he was in awe of the artworks on the walls. Wilbur chuckled. “Did you hear what I say, Techno?”

“Huh? Oh, no, sorry…” Techno looked back at Wilbur, a small smile covering his face. Wilbur’s lips curled up and he said down on the cold, wet concrete. They had to wait for Phil, to signal them that it was saved to go further, to the place they would meet up with another member of the rebellion. “Do you see this? What if we could get these kinds of people to join us.” Techno carefully brushed with his fingers over the walls, the paint crackling at the touch.

“Doubt it. They already have something of their own… Do you see this sign? It’s everywhere through the city… Whoever they are, they must be a group.” Wilbur traced the sign, it was still slightly wet, indicating that it hadn’t been long since they have been here. Wilbur felt his toes curl at the thought of more people running around here, this late at night especially. 

“Kids, y’all ready?” Phil appeared out of thin air, making both boys jump up. “It’s not too far away from here.”

There’s this spot in your eye, a blind spot, a weakness, a side effect from evolution. On that specific spot, could be hiding something… Something dangerous. At all times, something could be there, without your knowledge. That thing; hiding in plain sight, some people have a name for it… Or at least, one person had a name for it. Ant liked to call it, the love of his life… But also, the biggest ass in existence.

“You know that they’re in the same party as we are,” Ant asked, transforming into his normal human form again. Velvet did the same. “You shouldn’t try to scare them…” Velvet chuckled a little. 

“Whatever you want, love… I’m just playing with them… They’re still spreading propaganda in our city. That’s still our job to do, you know that.” Ant rolled his eyes and pulled the younger closer to him. Velvet’s eyes softened. “Flirt.”

“Says you. I just want to see what those losers are doing.” Ant motioned his head to the ground where they saw a group of guys running. Velvet tilted his head, a cheeky grin was apparent on his face. “I know I just said we’re in the same party, but look at them… They look so… pathetic.” The group of guys was running around the city, trying to find something. Ant and Velvet already knew what it was, both of the boys having spied on the group. “We should help them.”

“Nah… Let them be. I enjoy seeing them running around… Like mice trying to run away from a cat.” Velvet felt how an elbow got shoved in between his ribs. Velvet groaned, pushing his boyfriend away. 

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing dear.”

“Guys, do you also have the feeling we’re being watched?” Techno asked, walking closer to Wilbur as he could have -sworn- he just saw something moving in the corner of his eye. He didn’t know what it was, but it looked… human, almost. Techno also could feel very deep in his stomach that they weren’t alone out here on the streets; it made the hairs on his back stand up straight. 

“Don’t be so paranoid Techno. We’re not being watched.”

“How do you know?” Techno looked around, seeing a pair of glistening, bright blue eyes in the dark. It’s a cat. Wilbur smiled when he saw the cat too. 

“It’s just a cat, Techno! What are you so scared of?” Techno still didn’t feel right. Something about the cat made him feel nauseous. It made him feel empty. But if Techno would say that out loud, both Wilbur and Phil would laugh at him. But Techno knew that there was something wrong with this cat.

“Oh guys, I think this is it… Come on, we have to be quick. We have to be out of here again before the sun comes back up.”

Tommy wasn’t able to fall asleep. The house felt too empty, too quiet, too everything. He enjoyed human sounds, it was the only thing that made the voice in his head go away. But now, now the house was empty, Tommy could feel the hairs on his neck starting to rise. When people were surrounding him, it was easier to keep his powers under control.

Back in the lab, his doctors would sometimes hold him hostage in the same room, seeing nor hearing any other organism for sometimes months on end. It always killed Tommy from the inside when he had to be there. He would try so desperately to not let _it_ take over. 

Tommy’s twitching started to get worse, pain grew from inside his chest. Tommy got up from his bed, opening his phone to see that Tubbo was online on Twitter… Tommy was so tempted to call the older, hearing his voice and finally calming down. His finger hovered above the button. There was so much risk of calling his friend, but he also knew the risk of… Not calling him. He could potentially get his whole family in danger if he didn’t get himself under control soon. 

Tommy sighed deeply, moving his fingers that were slowly turning black… He had to make a decision quickly.

[Should Tommy call Tubbo? Click to vote!](https://www.strawpoll.me/42548222)  


“Sir, I got you your papers from 0409’s stay here… As you wanted, right?” They swallowed harshly when the man behind the desk turned around to face them. “I don’t really understand what you want with those, though… 0409 has been discharged for a while now… What are you going to do with those papers?”

“I don’t like that tone you’re speaking in. You know what you should say, you should say “Oh Schlatt, my all mighty, I think you’re so great and I am going to shut up now because I am a little bitch.” With that tone too, please.” They nodded a little.

“O- oh Schlatt, my all- all-mighty… I think you’re so great and- and I am going t- to shut up now because I am a little- a little bitch.” Schlatt grinned.

“Good. Now leave my fucking office, you fucking cunt.”

“Y- Yes Schlatt.” Schlatt sighed and opened his computer, seeing all 0409’s entries… Just like he wanted and needed. 


	3. Chapter 3.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New privatter update ;)

“What the fuck am I doing here?” Sapnap looked right into the eyes of a guy. His eyes were a bright blue, his pupils growing as he saw that Sapnap was awake. He had a small smile on his face. “Answer me! Who are you and what am I doing here?” The guy walked closer to Sapnap, and now he saw the tail that would swing side to side, dancing with every movement the guy made. Sapnap started to panic when he saw it and the guy rushed towards him, pressing his hand on Sapnap’s mouth.

“Shut up- Please… No one needs to hear you… Or we’re both fucked.” Another guy appeared in Sapnap’s vision. He looked annoyed, his eyebrows knitted together. “Can I trust that you don’t start panicking again? We need to talk and we need you to be quiet.” Sapnap nodded a little. “Good, good…”

“Can you now please say what I am doing here… I am supposed to be somewhere right now.”

“We know.” The other guy spoke up. Cat-boy was silent, his lips pressed into a thin line as he let his partner-in-crime speak up. “We saw them walking around town… We know what you guys are.” Sapnap felt his heart drop to his stomach. He was expecting to be killed, to get beaten and tortured and that his friends will end up having the same faith. What he didn’t expect were the words that came out of the guy’s mouth afterwards. “We want you all to know that we’re in the same party.”

“We also want you to know that this,” cat-boy said, moving aggressively with his arms to make a statement, “this, is -our- territory. Not yours. So please, take your friends with you because we already claimed this land as our own.” Cat-boy’s eyes grew darker like he was going to hunt on his prey any moment now. 

Sapnap didn’t know why it would be a fight if they were in the same party, but judging from what these guys managed to do with just them two, Sapnap knew they were powerful, so he didn’t want to do anything that could upset them because he knew that these two guys could be useful to have at his side. 

“Now, tell your friends the same thing. We don’t want intruders here. Not on -our- terrain.” Sapnap nodded a little. “Great… Velve, you can free him now.” The rope that was first tightly wrapped around his hands now got cut into half with a sharp knife. Sapnap could feel the metal slide against his skin, but not making any cuts. Just the coldness of the blade resting against his skin. He couldn’t say that it didn’t feel nice. 

Sapnap got up and ran away. He shot one last glance at the duo, but they already seemed to have disappeared into the night themselves.

Tommy pressed his hand onto his ears, trying so hard not to lose control over his body and his mind. It was getting harder, however. Every second felt like an hour and Tommy could feel the cold sweat dripping down his back, soaking the over-sized shirt he was wearing as a pyjama. Tommy felt like he was going to die. His hand slid over his bed, to the floor where he had placed his phone. It was charging. The light that the phone emitted when he unlocked it, hurt Tommy’s eyes. His finger hovered over the call button before a small sigh escaped his lips. Maybe messaging would be better…

Tommy: Hey big man!

Tommy: Are you awake?

Tubbo: Always :D

Tubbo: My sleep schedule is just as bad as it always has been.

Tommy: Lol.

Tommy: Love that for us.

Tommy: Anyways…

Tommy: It’s happening.

Tubbo: Oh?

Tubbo: Is no one home right now?

Tommy: No.

Tommy: And it’s getting harder…

Tommy: I really don’t want to see _him_ again.

Tubbo: Don’t call it that.

Tubbo: It’s not a him.

Tubbo: It doesn’t deserve to be called that.

Tommy: I know…

Tommy: But _he_ gets mad if I don’t.

Tubbo: How strong is it now?

Tubbo: On a level from 1 to 10.

Tommy: 8.

Tubbo: Shit.

Tubbo: Okay, Tommy, remember what we did in the lab, okay?

Tubbo: Grab all the blankets and pillows you can find.

Tubbo: Don’t ever stop focussing on your surroundings.

Tubbo: Never lose control of your senses.

Tommy: He’s trying to talk to me Tubbo.

Tubbo: Whatever you do DON’T listen.

Tommy: It’s so hard…

Tommy: What do I do?

Tubbo: CALL ME

Tommy saw the name of his best friend pop up on his screen, but he couldn’t pick up. Not when _that thing_ was staring at you. Tommy grabbed his blanket and pulled it over his head, tears threatening to spill out of his ocean-blue eyes. He could see a soft, green hue trying to make its way through from under the blanket. Tommy just pulled it tighter around himself.

“Come on, Toms, don’t be so shy.” His voice was sweet and caring, like any other time Tommy had been able to hear him speak. “You know _I_ care about you.” Tommy didn’t want to hear it. He really didn’t. He has listened to the same sweet-talk way too many times now. 

“Leave me alone…”

“But Tommy, we’re a team! You’re the only one who can give me life.” Tommy pressed his face into his pillow, arms wrapped around his head. He wished it would be over. He wished someone was here. He wished he was still back in the lab, at least he knew he was safe there. He had no idea what he could do if _it_ decided to take over.

Downstairs, a creak of a door was heard, and Tommy shot up. He could hear voices.

“Shut up. You’re gonna wake up Tommy.”

What they didn’t know is that Tommy was already up and was now getting out of bed as soon as he could, his bare feet touching the cold floor. He slowly walked down the stairs, standing still at every step just hoping that they would notice him sooner.

“Tommy? Did we wake you up?” Tommy shook his head when Phil drew his attention towards the fourteen-your-old. 

“Hey, Toms, what’s wrong? It looked like you cried…” Wilbur’s soft voice was almost Tommy’s breaking point right then and there, but he kept his walls that he had built strong. Tommy sighed and said the first thing his sleep-deprived brain could think of: “I had a nightmare.” Phil opened his arms, inviting Tommy into a hug that the kid accepted warily. 

“You think you can get back to sleep?” Tommy shook his head. “Okay, that’s okay. Wilbur, will you be a dear and make some tea?”

“Sure, dad.”

“Good. Come on, Tommy, it’ll be okay.”

Tubbo was worried like hell. Was Tommy okay? Will he be okay? Why didn’t he answer his calls? Tubbo put his phone back down, thinking about all the times this had happened at the lab. Tommy would scream like he was in pain, biting his hand as a way to keep himself quiet. Tubbo would remember his friend's eyes turning green when it happened, his voice deepening. 

“Tubbo? Are you still awake?” Tubbo quickly hid the phone under his pillow, laying with his face towards the wall as he pretended to sleep. “Weird… I thought I heard something.” Tubbo tried to keep his breathing stable, not wanting to alert the ram-hybrid who was still standing in his door opening. 

The door creaked again, but Tubbo knew that he had to keep still. Schlatt would stay at the other side of the door, listening to the heartbeat of the young boy. Tubbo could still feel the bruises from when he made that mistake the first time… Apparently, his “father” didn’t like it when Tubbo used his phone when he wasn’t there to control it and instead of saying that to Tubbo, the latter had to learn it the hard way… 

Tubbo sighed sadly, missing his real family. His ribs hurt with every breath he took and he really did wonder what Schlatt had done to them to make them hurt this much… 

Tommy never imagined he would be sitting on a couch at four in the morning, his faux-brother having his arms wrapped around him as the four-teen-year-old was laying on his chest. Wilbur was combing his fingers through Tommy’s hair, singing a soft lullaby while Techno was upstairs asleep after having tucked them in with a blanket. Tommy wondered why they were so nice to him because after all, they weren’t a real family. Tommy wondered if they knew it too.

“Are you feeling a bit better already?” Tommy hummed a little. “Do you want to talk about your nightmare?” Tommy shook his head. He had his eyes closed, almost falling asleep. Wilbur decided to drop the topic and continued humming a melody that reminded Tommy of the lab. He didn’t know why and that was maybe partially due to his sleep deprivation. 

Tommy sighed deeply, letting the dark completely swallow him. The ground under him slowly started to disappear as he got the feeling like he was floating. Wilbur’s voice became more distant and his fingers tickling his scalp were starting to become just light brushes through his hair. Tommy fell asleep that night, finally resting.

Tubbo woke up in the morning to a couple of missed messages from Tommy. Tommy had informed him that he was alright and that he was doing better after his family had gotten home from God knows where. Tubbo was relieved to hear this, but now he had to focus on his own problems… Also known as, Schlatt.

Schlatt was a big guy, had the same kind of ram-horns as Tubbo did, but he was roughed in the way he did things, not as soft-spoken as the younger was. Also, Tubbo didn’t know Schlatt. He remembered that he was the only ram born in his family. His younger sisters were both born completely human. His parents were born completely human. So Tubbo didn’t know why he was here, but he also was too scared to ask for answers, knowing what kind of consequences there might be.

And that’s why Tubbo stayed most of his days in his room, texting his friends on his phone that he had gotten from Schlatt. It was “old” according to the older male. But, Tubbo knew that he got a new phone from his job every month or so.

Tubbo was curious where Schlatt worked, because a phone was an only-rich-people thing, in his mind. And Schlatt didn’t exactly live like a rich person. He lived like a slob. The only thing expensive about the man was his choice of clothing that he wore every day: A suit with a red tie. Every day, he would wear a suit. Even on the weekends when all he did was sit on the couch, watching TV while working on his laptop. Tubbo knew this, because even though he’s not allowed to be downstairs during the weekends, sometimes he would sneak down to use the toilet. As he walked over the hallway, tiptoeing to make no sound, he could see Schlatt in his suit, the same episode of Jeopardy on TV like every weekend. Tubbo is convinced it’s a play-back.

Tubbo knew why it was a play-back; nothing gets aired anymore. At least, not where they live. Maybe outside of their world, people still had TV’s where things got aired on. Tubbo had heard about the rumours back in the lab. He had heard from George that a long time ago, people were still allowed to read books, to go to school, to watch TV. Tubbo had laughed at him, thinking that it was too good to be true. 

But now that Tubbo was watching this episode for the hundredth time on a Tuesday morning while Schlatt was gone off to work, he thought that maybe George was right after all.

“Hey, did you already got to contact Tommy about what he saw last night?” Niki looked at Ranboo who guiltily shook his head. Niki smiled softly, ruffling the younger boy’s hair. “It’s fine… Don’t worry so much, okay? He’s safe. Tubbo was able to talk to him last night, remember?” Ranboo hummed a little and he grabbed a bit of the bread that Niki had baked the day prior. He took little bites off of it.

It was a nice day outside, spring finally showing her true colour with some cherry blossoms already blooming in the early April. Everyone would go outside on such a beautiful day, everyone but Ranboo and Niki. 

They were sitting in a small cottage that Niki had decorated with potted plants and many little clutter items she found for free on yard-sales or in abandoned corners of the street. It made the small wooden place feel like home. 

“Here, eat up, it’s going to be a long day, today,” Niki said, giving some of her own food to the younger teen. “I have to go outside for a bit, but promise me you’ll stay here, okay? I’ll come back as soon as possible.”

“Why?”

“Why I have to go out? I have to get some more wheat for bread and such…” Ranboo sulked a little, not wanting Niki to leave. “Don’t be sad, Ranboo, I’ll be fine. It’s all going to be okay.”

“Why can’t I go along?” Niki laughed a little, but her smile was nothing but sadness hidden away to not worry Ranboo. “I want to go with you.”

“You can’t. It’s too dangerous. Stay here, okay? I’ll be back before you even notice I was gone.” Ranboo sighed deeply and he accepted his faith as alone in the small cottage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> or everything in one handy-dandy place, here's a summary of all the links to follow and participate in this story:  
> Google Drive: [Google Link](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1psyFaFc3594wcaHiNhj2qJJCGzyzjCf6vREyAMvYM04/edit?usp=sharing)  
> Twitter: [Twitter Link](https://twitter.com/MCYT_AUs)  
> Tumblr: [Tumblr Link](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/therebellionarewe)  
> Privatter [Privatter Link](https://privatter.net/u/MCYT_AUs)

**Author's Note:**

> For everything in one handy-dandy place, here's a summary of all the links to follow and participate in this story:  
> Google Drive: [Google Link](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1psyFaFc3594wcaHiNhj2qJJCGzyzjCf6vREyAMvYM04/edit?usp=sharing)  
> Twitter: [Twitter Link](https://twitter.com/MCYT_AUs)  
> Tumblr: [Tumblr Link](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/therebellionarewe)  
> Privatter [Privatter Link/a>](https://privatter.net/u/MCYT_AUs)


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